12-Sep-2026 Anthropic, SonicWall and Cisco Face AI-Driven Cyberattacks

Hacked dAily is the first AI-driven cybersecurity podcast, created by Cytadel Cyber and published daily. Designed for CISOs, security leaders, and executives, each episode delivers concise analysis of the threats shaping business risk. Today’s five stories: 1. Anthropic says it disrupted a Russian state-linked espionage campaign, assessed as Midnight Blizzard, that used Claude to automate malware testing and rebuild tools faster than defenses could detect them. The operation targeted more than 20 organizations, highlighting how AI can accelerate evasion, expand attack scale, and increase risk to government, defense, and critical industries. 2. A UK council attack has been linked to mass exploitation of SonicWall SMA1000 appliances through a critical vulnerability. Attackers reportedly stole credentials and Active Directory data, showing how rapidly exposed edge devices can become launch points for stealthy network compromise. 3. Cisco reports that ransomware and state-linked groups exploited flaws in Secure Firewall Management Center to bypass authentication, steal credentials, deploy implants, and prepare ransomware attacks. Because these systems govern enterprise security infrastructure, the activity creates a high-impact pathway to broader network control and has prompted urgent government patching. 4. A fraud campaign sent one million personalized emails in three days, using automation to make scams more convincing. The scale raises the risk of credential theft, financial loss, and business email compromise, reinforcing the need for strong email validation, user awareness, and rapid response. 5. Researchers say China-linked UNC3569 exploited a Sogou browser flaw to deliver malware and establish footholds. The case shows how familiar software vulnerabilities continue to support espionage and persistence, making rapid patching and browser-focused monitoring essential. Hacked dAily turns breaking cyber news into practical insight for better security decisions. Hacked Daily is sponsored by Cytadel, an offensive cyber assurance company specialising in AI-powered attacks. Cytadel’s expert-led Red Team Assessments follow real attack chains across people, identity and technology to verify whether they can become AI fraud or ransomware disruption. We verify your defences before attackers do. Learn more at cytadel.co.uk.